The Queensland India Council
held its inaugural meeting
this week. The Council was
established by the
Queensland Government to
provide advice on trade,
investment, education,
science, tourism and
cultural issues relevant to
Queensland's relationship
with India.

The council members were
appointed on the basis of
their "specific areas of
expertise and their ability
to provide strategic advice
to the Government on
Queensland-India relations"
and members include
representatives from the
business, education, tourism
and resources sector, as
well as community leaders
experienced in engaging with
India.

The Chair of the Council,
Prof Arun Sharma, is also
the Deputy Vice Chancellor,
Research and
Commercialisation,
Queensland University of
Technology and the current
pro tem National President
of the Australia India
Business Council.

The initial recommendations
of the Council are to
exploit and promote the
benefits, advantages and
influences of Queensland's
sub-tropical and tropic
climate particularly with
regard to tourism, fashion
and architecture.

The
Islamic Council of
Queensland, working in
collaboration with the
Attorney-General’s Community
Resilience Building Program,
held an anti radicalisation
event on January 28 in
Townsville attended by over
a 100 local Muslims from
many different cultural
groups and the local Federal
Member for Herbert, Hon Ewen
Jones MP.

The guest
speaker for the night was
the Director of the Griffith
Islamic Research Unit (GIRU)
Dr Mohammad Abdalla. Dr
Abdalla spoke passionately
and at length to an
enthralled crowd about the
vice of extremism and
radicalization.

His
thoroughly researched
presentation included the
views of contemporary
ulema (Muslim learned
scholars) and quotations
from the Holy Quran and the
sacred traditions of the
Prophet, all testifying to
the benefit of adopting a
middle ground aiming to
harness construction of
societies rather than
destruction of societies.

The event
started after the Magribsalaah and ended with
a community dinner at around
10pm.

The president of the
Islamic Society of
Townsville Doctor Prashanta
Mitra, welcomed the guests
and expressed his sincere
and deep gratitude to the
ICQ for funding the event.

He added that Townsville was
extremely fortunate to have
a scholar of Dr Abdalla’s
standing to be present at
the gathering.

Mr Jones also
expressed words of support
for the migrant communities
and expressed his desire to
see the migrant communities
taking their rightful place
in the wider Australian
Community.

The
January 28 event was one of
a series that ICQ is holding
across Queensland in an
effort to raise awareness
amongst Muslims, specially
the youth, about
radicalisation and its
adverse effects on society.

"ICQ
believes that the vast
majority of Muslims who
adhere to the peaceful
religion of Islam as
espoused by the Prophet
Mohammed (Peace be upon him)
need to become proactive in
countering any radical
message that may be
propagated within the
community at any level. This
workshop (to be followed by
a series of smaller
workshops) hopes to change
the passive resistance of
the Muslim communities to
one of proactive involvement
and empowerment of the youth
to be able to say no to
radicalisation without fear
of repercussions knowing
that the State and the
community is behind them in
fighting religious
intolerance and
radicalisation. While
Queensland has been
relatively untouched by the
same levels of
radicalisation seen in New
South Wales and Victoria,
ICQ sincerely believes that
prevention is better than
cure."

The dedicated volunteer and
lifelong champion for
community harmony and
multiculturalism will have
to close her welfare shop
this month unless she can
get more volunteers and
financial support.

The Queensland Muslim
Welfare Association store at
the Parklands Shopping
Centre has assisted hundreds
of struggling Logan families
and individuals from all
walks of life by donating
clothes, furniture and
whitegoods, or selling them
at a low price.

The association, which is
based at Logan, also hosts
giveaway events and has
supported refugees by
providing items to help
those in need in their home
countries.

Ms Deen's decision to shut
the store comes just two
months after she received
the Most Outstanding
Volunteer honour at the
Queensland Multicultural
Awards, in recognition of
her work at the shop and in
the community.

The mother-of-five said it
would be a tragedy if she
had to close the store.

"It breaks my heart," she
said.

"A lot of people rely on
this service and have told
me they can no longer afford
to buy goods from other
welfare stores.

"We have low prices here
because I'm not here to make
a profit at the expense of
the Logan people.

"If someone asks for goods,
we give it free of charge."

Determined to inject some
hope and normality into the
lives of the less fortunate,
Ms Deen opened the welfare
shop in 2009 and has since
become a friendly face in
Woodridge and surrounding
suburbs.

In its first year of
operation the association
took out Logan's Davida
Steel Memorial Award For
Outstanding Community
Organisation.

No one could question how
much time and effort Ms Deen,
a 70-year-old widow, has
dedicated to helping rebuild
people's lives by offering
everything from a simple hug
to fully furnishing homes
with donated items.

"It's not a passion for me,
I'm obsessed with it
(helping)," she said.

"This has given me a new
lease on life and keeps me
young.

"I'm from a family of 11 and
we had to struggle so I know
what it is like.

"I empathise with these
people."

For the past year Ms Deen
has been running the store
on her own after her
colleague and friend was no
longer able to help because
her home was impacted during
last year's floods.

In order to keep the store
open, Ms Deen has had to dig
in to her superannuation to
combat the rising costs of
storage, rent and utilities.

But the reality is unless
she can find some more
helpers and financial
support in a flash, she will
be forced to close the
store.

Anyone who would like to
help can contact Ms Deen on
0435 086 796.

Since the
above article appeared in
TheReporter, Janeth Deen has
received many calls of
support.

Ms Deen told
CCN: "Some of our Muslim
members even rang to help
out and the Mayor of Logan
also offered to donate
$1,000 to keep the shop
running. The committee had
made their decision and the
shop had to close. This
decision was based on the
lack of volunteers and the
fact that there was no one
to run the shop after Wilma
and i could no longer run
it. Also the size of the
shop and the need for
storage was problem."

"It is a shame that the only
Muslim Welfare shop in
Australia has to close its
doors. In the three years of
its operation, it has more
than fulfilled the objective
of helping the less needy in
our society."

Word of the Year

The
Committee's choice for the
winning word of the
Macquarie Word of the Year
2011 was.....burqini

The word
“Burqini” is used to
describe the full-length
swimming costume for Muslim
women invented and developed
by Sydney designer
Aheda Zanetti.

The
competition is run each year
by the wordsmiths at
Macquarie Dictionary who
assess which new words in
the Australian lexicon will
make it into their latest
addition.

They assess
whether a word has currency
in the community and if it
does, the word is given an
official definition and put
into the online dictionary.

Burqini has
been defined as:

burqini - ber’keenee
- noun a swimsuit
designed for Muslim women,
comprising leggings and a
tunic top with a hood.
[Trademark; BURQ(A) + (BIK)INI]

The People's
Choice award went to
fracking and you can
find the full list of
entrants
here.

The recent
floods in Fiji has caused
widespread damage to homes
and crops to many parts of
the country. Some parts of
the country are still under
water and it is not possible
at present to ascertain the
full extent of the
loss/damage. Preliminary
estimates are that about
2000 of our Muslim families
have lost their homes, crops
and belongings. For many it
would be a long journey
ahead before they recover
from this disaster.

Considering the current
political situation in Fiji
and the high rate of
unemployment a large
percentage of the population
face a very gloomy future.
Foreign aid is very limited
and there is hardly any
welfare or unemployment
benefits for those in need.

The Fiji Muslim League has
appealed to the Islamic
Council of Queensland (ICQ)
for assistance and we
earnestly request our
community for their generous
support. Cash donations can
be sent to the above address
or deposited in the
following account :

Over the next
few weeks, CCN will post
images from a new exhibition
at the British Museum in
London that traces the
history of the Hajj:

This Turkish
Map from 1650 shows the Ka'ba in Mecca,
Islam's holiest site, as the centre of the
world.

The World's Most Influential Muslims in 2011

There are
over 1.6
billion
Muslims in
the world
today,
making up
approximately
23% of the
world's
population,
or more than
one-fifth of
mankind.

The
Muslim500
publication
is part of
an annual
series that
provides a
window into
the movers
and shakers
of the
Muslim
world. It
gives
valuable
insight into
the
different
ways that
Muslims
impact the
world, and
also shows
the
diversity of
how people
are living
as Muslims
today.

The 2011
lists the
world's most
influential
Muslims who
have
impacted on
their
community,
or on behalf
of their
community.
Influence
is: any
person who
has the
power (be it
cultural,
ideological,
financial,
political or
otherwise)
to make a
change that
will have a
significant
impact on
the Muslim
World. The
impact can
be either
positive or
negative.
The
influence
can be of a
religious
scholar
directly
addressing
Muslims and
influencing
their
beliefs,
ideas and
behaviour,
or it can be
of a ruler
shaping the
socio-economic
factors
within which
people live
their lives,
or of
artists
forming
popular
culture.

Over the
coming
weeks, CCN
will publish
a
personality
selected
from the
list:

No. 6

H.H. Emir
Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa
Al Thani
Emir of
Qatar

Acceding to
power in 1995,
His Highness
Emir Sheikh
Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani
is the 9th Emir
(also amir,
leader) of the
State of Qatar.
The monarchy of
Qatar is
increasingly
powerful as an
economic force,
a mediator of
peace, and a
thriving emirate
on the
northeastern
coast of the
Arabian
Peninsula.
Sheikh Hamad’s
leadership is
marked by
successful
reform. As
Commander in
Chief of the
Qatari Armed
Forces, he has
made significant
efforts to
modernize the
military. Sheikh
Hamad has also
developed strong
international
relations,
exerting more
influence on
Middle East
affairs over the
past few years.

Global Stage
Qatar has become
a player on the
global stage.
Politically, It
has been at the
forefront of the
response to the
Libyan Conflict
and has even
sent its planes
alongside those
of NATO’s to
enforce the
no-fly zone. In
the sports
world, it has
gained worldwide
recognition by
winning the bid
to host the 2022
soccer World
Cup.
Economic
Catalyst
According to
Global Finance,
Qatar is the
richest country
in the
world with a GDP
per capita of
$90,149. It is
the top exporter
of liquefied
natural gas, and
the site of the
third largest
natural gas
reserves in the
world. During
Sheikh Hamad’s
rein, the
country has
developed one of
the fastest
growing
economies in the
Middle East.
Recently, Sheikh
Hamad signed a
$500 million
investment deal
with Turkey for
agriculture,
food, and
stockbreeding
development. He
has also
invested
billions toward
infrastructure,
real estate and
educational
initiatives for
Qatar.

Humanitarian
Sheikh Hamad has
been recognized
in Forbes
Magazine’s list
of the
wealthiest
royals in the
world with a net
worth of $2
billion. What
makes him
markedly
influential,
however, is his
strategic
charitable
giving. In
February, 2010
Qatar
successfully
sponsored a
peace deal
between the
rebel Justice
and Equality
Movement and the
Sudanese
government—pledging
$1 billion to
reconstruction
efforts in
Darfur which
involve
establishing a
development bank
in Sudan.

Patron of the
Arts
Sheikh Hamad is
noted for his
love of the
arts. In 2008,
he inaugurated
the Museum of
Islamic Art in
Doha, boasting
exclusive
collections of
Islamic
artifacts from
across the globe
collected over a
period of 20
years. Acclaimed
architect I.M.
Pei was
commissioned to
design the
award-winning
landmark
structure on an
island off of
Doha Bay.

The Arab
Spring
Has driven much
of the Arab
Spring through
the coverage
given by
Al-Jazeera, the
financial
support given to
protestors and
political
support to
Libya. He is
arguably the
biggest enabler
of the Arab
Spring.

We are
trying to
create a
Qatari
standard:
you want us
to deal with
you, this is
our
standard;
you win, we
win, and we
go for the
long term

Emir
Hamad Al
Thani

The Inbox

Assalaamu Alaikum,
In your next issue please put the full details of
Ameera Mohamed Ismail (Inbox of
CCN376),
so the sponsors can deposit the funds in her
account.

She needs the full
support of the community.

WassalaamYusuf

[Editor] Anyone
wishing to donate towards Ameera's trip can contact
her on (07) 3273 6603 or by email:
blue_shooz2@hotmail.com.

In reply
to Brad Hogg's tweet where he say's something and
then he says he is sorry. My dad taught me 50 years
ago .................

THINK OF WHAT YOU SPEAK
SPEAK NOT OF WHAT YOU THINK
YOUR WORDS ARE NO LONGER YOURS ONCE SPOKEN

Regards

FE

Assalamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu,

Alhamdulillah by the help of Allah, UMB has started
a first of its kind production for the Queensland
Muslim community. It is called " UMB Coffee Chat"
Insha Allah, every week, we will be producing short
videos that will help us keep our eman strong. UMB
now has its own channel in Youtube. The following
our the first videos:

Please share this information to others. Jazakum
Allahu khairan. Thanks also to CCN for sharing our
first video production with Napoleon.

Baraak Allahu feekum.

wa salaam,

UMB Marketing

Around the Muslim World with CCN

German
Muslim Taxi Launched

NORDERSTEDT,
Germany – A German Muslim has introduced the country’s first
Muslim taxi service through which Germans can arrange shared
car rides of the same sex, The Local.de website reported on
Friday, January 27.

“Many Muslim brothers and sisters complained that they can’t
use conventional offers because the gender segregation
stipulated by Islam is not implemented,” Selim Reid, a
24-year-old from Norderstedt, city of about 70,000 near
Hamburg, told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper.

The idea of the website, Muslimtaxi.de, was first introduced
by Reid after a personal experience of his parents.

He said he was inspired to create the site because of
Muslims’ bad ride-sharing experiences.

In 1996, his parents, who are originally from Iraq, caught a
ride with a Muslim-hating driver who spent the whole time
criticizing them.

“The driver and the people with him swore the whole way
about foreigners in general and in particular about my
mother’s head scarf,” Reid told the newspaper.

“He thought that my parents do not understand German,” he
added.

The new site, launched late 2011, is based on the same
principle as other popular websites like
mitfahrgelegenheit.de , which lets cost-conscious Germans
arrange shared car rides.

Those interested in offering rides specify their gender,
asking price and how many passengers they can accommodate.

Potential passengers contact the driver directly.

Germany has between 3.8 and 4.3 million Muslims, making up
some 5 percent of the total 82 million population, according
to government-commissioned studies.

Germans have grown hostile to the Muslim presence recently,
with a heated debate on the Muslim immigration into the
country.

A recent poll by the Munster University found that Germans
view Muslims more negatively than their European neighbors.

According to a 2010 nationwide poll by the research
institute Infratest-dimap, more than one third of the
respondents would prefer "a Germany without Islam."

Criticism

In operation since late last year, the website has sparked
criticism as a trial to create a parallel society for German
Muslims.

Reid denied such accusations, saying that the service offers
an opportunity for non-Muslim riders interested in knowing
more about Islam.

“Those really looking for dialogue will find it by using
Muslim Taxi,” Reid said, The Local reported.

He added that the service was welcomed by thousands of
grateful riders who said it was filling a niche.

“The separation of the sexes is part of our faith, and Islam
is part of Germany's.”

Over the past few years, Germany has been gripped by a
fierce debate on immigration and integration.

The controversy was spurred in 2009 by central banker Thilo
Sarrazin, who accused Muslim immigrants of undermining the
society which is becoming less intelligent because of them.

A project that examines why women choose to convert to
Islam – and what the experience is like.

A landmark project which seeks to map out the different
routes through which women convert to Islam, and describe
their experiences on entering the faith, reaches its
conclusion this weekend.

“Narratives of Conversion to Islam in Britain”, which is
being run at the Centre of Islamic Studies at the University
of Cambridge in association with the New Muslims Project at
Leicester, is collating the views and stories of female
converts in an effort to provide an insider’s view of what
the experience is really like. A report, detailing the
results of three meetings exploring why they chose Islam,
their feelings about doing so, and the responses of family,
friends and other Muslims, will be published in the spring.

Judging by
what the
media tends
to write
about Islam,
you would
expect
liberal-minded,
intellectually-engaged
women from
non-Muslim
backgrounds
to give it a
wide berth

Professor
Yasir
Suleiman

Those involved in the project will remain
anonymous until the final report is released, as
a condition of their participation. They include
women from a range of age groups, variously of
white, African, and Caribbean descent. Among
them are former Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs
and atheists.

Organisers say that one of the main reasons for
the project is “a general sense of frustration”
with one-dimensional portrayals of female
conversion in the media. Often these focus on
women who marry into the faith, and suggest that
they do so at the expense of their independence
and liberty.

The reality, academics say, is far more varied
and complex. “Judging by what the media tends to
write about Islam, you would expect
liberal-minded, intellectually-engaged women
from non-Muslim backgrounds to give it a wide
berth,” Professor Yasir Suleiman, who is
chairing the meetings and the project’s leader,
said.

“It seems to be a religion that clashes with our
ideas about modernity. Yet the paradox is that
there is a noticeable number of well-educated,
intellectually-engaged women with high-flying
careers who are choosing to become Muslims. So
the question is, how do we explain this?”

Although there are no firm statistics about
women converting to Islam in Britain, it is
possible that as many as three-quarters of
British converts – an estimated 100,000 between
2000 and 2010, were female. To investigate why
women convert, three symposia organised by the
Centre of Islamic Studies were developed based
on an initial discussion in May last year. The
subsequent gatherings touched on questions such
as family, dress, lifestyle, relationships
within the Muslim community, marriage, the
media, sexuality, political identity and the
tenets of the faith itself.

Despite the myriad reasons for women converting
to Islam – which, contrary to popular belief,
often do not involve marriage – the project team
say that a consistent, emerging theme is that
many stressed a strong sense of continuity with
the past. Although outsiders view conversion as
a break with a previous life, and in extreme
cases apparently “racialise” white converts as
if they have somehow become non-white by joining
the faith, the women who make the change retain
many of their fundamental beliefs and
relationships.

It seems to
be a
religion
that clashes
with our
ideas about
modernity.
Yet the
paradox is
that there
is a
noticeable
number of
well-educated,
intellectually-engaged
women with
high-flying
careers who
are choosing
to become
Muslims. So
the question
is, how do
we explain
this?

Professor
Yasir
Suleiman

Why they convert is a highly complex question,
however. In some cases, women simply came into
contact with the Qur’an and found that it struck
a spiritual chord – sometimes one that, given
their background, they initially found it hard
to accept.

Other cases recorded in the discussions included those of
journalists who, dispatched by their editors to write a
piece about the restricted lives of female converts, were in
practice won over to the merits of Islam itself.

The final report will, organisers say, attempt to portray
the experience of conversion in full by expressing the
participants’ feelings and stories whether positive or
negative. Women who are attracted to Islam because it seems
versatile and inclusive, for example, sometimes find
themselves struggling with the more conservative views of
Imams. Others have encountered a sense of triumphalism from
some “heritage Muslims”, who are keen to show off white
converts to the wider world because of their social origins,
rather than because of their beliefs.

“The report will attempt to describe and explain the
journeys converts take in full,” Professor Suleiman added.
“The stories are very different, but the women who tell them
have consistently stressed that they don’t see conversion to
Islam as a break from the past, but part of one greater,
continuing journey as a whole.”

The final report from the project, Narratives of
Conversion to Islam in Britain will be published online
by the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies,
University of Cambridge, in April or May 2012.

DISCLAIMER: CCN publishes
articles in good faith and takes no
responsibility for the contents
supplied by its writers. Any
complaints regarding any articles
should be sent by email to
ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org for
us to act on.

CCN Readers' Book Club: You are what you
read!

This week a CCN
reader recommends

After the Prophet
The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam

by

Lesley Hazleton

Synopsis

Narrative
history at its most compelling, After the Prophet relates
the dramatic tragic story at the heart of the ongoing
rivalry between Shia and Sunni Islam.

Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over
his successor had begun.

Pitting the family of his favourite wife, the
controversial Aisha, against supporters of his son-in-law,
the philosopher-warrior Ali, the struggle would reach its
breaking point fifty years later in Iraq, when soldiers of
the first Sunni dynasty massacred seventy-two warriors led
by Muhammad's grandson Hussein at Karbala.

Hussein's agonizing ordeal at Karbala was
soon to become the Passion story at the core of Shia Islam.
Hazleton's vivid, gripping prose provides extraordinary
insight into the origins of the world's most volatile blend
of politics and religion.

Balancing past and present, she shows how
these seventh-century events are as alive in Middle Eastern
hearts and minds today as though they had just happened,
shaping modern headlines from Iran's Islamic Revolution to
the civil war in Iraq.

After the Prophet is narrative nonfiction at
its finest, and an emotional and political revelation for
Western readers.

"Thrilling in its depiction of long-ago
events... Passionately and scrupulously done." -- The Wall
Street Journal

"A new masterpiece... Thrillingly and
intelligently distills one of the most consequential trains
of events in all history." -- Booklist, starred review

"A remarkable telling of the story of Islam
-- a tale of power, intrigue, rivalry, jealousy,
assassination, manipulation, greed and faith... but above
all a very human story, in a wonderful novelistic style." --
Hooman Majd, author of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ

"Lesley Hazleton vividly recreates the
personal rivalries and resentment that led to Islam's great
schism in the wake of Muhammad's death, and makes one
understand how truly contemporary they are with our own
time... A terrific and necessary book." -- Jonathan Raban,
author of My Holy War and Surveillance

"The general Western reader will come away
from this book with a newfound respect for the depth and
power of the early schism in Islam." -- Professor Wilferd
Madelung, Oxford University, author of The Succession to
Muhammad

"After reading this gripping book, no one
will be able to plead ignorance about why the split between
Sunni and Shia happened and what it all means." -- Alan
Wolfe, Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life

KB's Culinary Corner

KB says: The merits and medical
benefits of coconut oil were enthusiastically explained to
me when I was in Karela, South India and so I purchased a
couple of litres over ebay the other day. I must tell you
that having used it in this recipe I noticed no noticeable
difference in the flavour or the taste of the dish.

Method
1. Marinate chicken with all the above spices
for approx 2 hours.
2. Heat a tab of oil/ghee/coconut oil in a pot
and add the mustard seeds.
3. Once they stop spluttering add the chicken
and cook until almost done.
4. Add the tomatoes and onion together and allow
to cook until the water evaporates.
5. Lastly add the corn and peas cook for a few
minutes until done.
6. Serve hot with roti.

Now
that the school term has started again, be sure not to let
the kids come home and sit in front of the TV or play on
their electronic games for too long.

Studies found a strong link between physical activity and
academic performance, so if you want your kids to do well
while sitting at their school desk, they need to be active
when they are away from it!

Exercise boosts blood and oxygen flow to the brain, and
participation in sport or physical activity improves
self-discipline and concentration.

So make an effort to get
the kids to school a few minutes earlier so they can run
around before school starts.

The best ideas
and the best feedback come from our community of readers. If you
have a topic or opinion that you want to write about or want
seen covered or any news item that you think might be of benefit
to the Crescents Community please e-mail ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org.

Share your
thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community through CCN.

If there is
someone you know who would like to subscribe to CCN please
encourage them to send an e-mail to
ccn@crescentsofbrisbane.org with the words “Subscribe Me” in
the subject line.

Disclaimer

Articles and
opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the Crescents of Brisbane Team, CCN,
its Editor or its Sponsors, particularly if they eventually
turn out to be libellous, unfounded, objectionable,
obnoxious, offensive, slanderous and/or downright
distasteful.

It is the usual policy of CCN to
include from time to time, notices of events that some
readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are
often posted as received. Including such messages or
providing the details of such events does not necessarily
imply endorsement of the contents of these events by either
CCN or Crescents of Brisbane Inc.